Rainbows And Sticks
by kate669
Summary: When Branch discovers that Poppy has snuck into his bunker, he decides to teach her a lesson. (This deals with some very, very adult themes. I cannot stress this enough. Please please PLEASE don't read if such content offends you!)


Poppy smiled down at the invitation in her hands, admiring the perfect glittery rainbow she'd striped across its front. Tomorrow was Rainbow Day, and she had passed out an invitation to every Troll in the village...

...which just left Branch. Closing her eyes, Poppy held the card to her chest protectively. Branch had a nasty habit of destroying her invitations, and as hard as she'd worked to line up the colors on that rainbow, she dreaded the idea of this one meeting the same fate. Was he embarrassed to receive them in front of her friends? She couldn't help that; they were always close by when she was making her delivery rounds. Or did he just hate parties that much? Whichever it was, Poppy decided that this time would be different. Even if he didn't show up, she was determined that he leave at least one of her handmade treasures intact.

She knew the way to his bunker well enough. He changed the appearance of the entrance on a regular basis to throw off potential predators, but the bristly "GO AWAY" mat at his door didn't exactly scream "camouflage" to her. If he really wanted to keep people away, why even bother putting out a doormat at all? She was beginning to think she would never understand her grey friend...but she refused to give up. And what better way to spare her beloved card than to sneak it into his bunker herself? What a terrific idea! He would be out most of the day anyway, foraging for mushrooms, sticks, and whatever else he collected. Surely she could find a way in, leave the invitation somewhere in his home, and sneak back out before he returned.

"Brilliant!" she assured herself, sliding the card back into its pastel-striped envelope. Hopping merrily along the path, she eventually came to the grass-covered mound with a Troll-sized boulder on one side. The "GO AWAY" mat greeted her with its usual white-lettered severity, but she ignored it and studied the rock for a moment. "Hmm," she muttered. "In books, they always have some kind of hidden switch, or a button, or a pull chain, or..."

Her foot passed over a stone laid flat into the dirt, and she felt something shift. "Of course!" she grinned. "Classic adventure story booby trap! I wonder if he likes adventure stories..." Pressing down harder on the flat stone, she reached out to push on the boulder. It worked! The massive rock moved just enough for her to squeeze through a dark, narrow opening. Shivering with excitement, she peered around at the space within.

"Ooh," she breathed, "I could totally decorate this if he'd let me!" She pushed the thought aside, knowing he never would. With a new spring in her step, she pulled the invitation out of her hair and went to look for a safe place to lay it down. She never even noticed the tall root sticking out of the ground like a lever, but her eyes fell on what looked like the top of a ladder sticking out of a nearby hole. That had to lead somewhere! Her excitement growing with every beat of her little heart, she ran forward and dove into the hole, grabbing the sides of the ladder and sliding down with a squeal of delight. The drop felt miles long - just how much space did Branch actually have down here, and what could be waiting at the bottom?

Her own bottom hit the ground with a soft thump, as she finally reached the bunker's lowest level. The cavernous room was lit by fireflies; the sleepy bugs hung from the ceiling, allowing their natural phosphorescence to shine over the whole area. Poppy blinked, taking in her surroundings: a tree stump desk, with an acorn cap lamp bolted to it. Piles upon piles of berries. Stoneware jars and bottles filled with goodness knows what. And a series of recessed shelves, one of which had a dull purple curtain drawn over it.

She decided to set the invitation on the desk. Her natural curiosity was goading her to have a peek behind the mauve curtain, but she had already invaded enough of Branch's privacy - she couldn't snoop through his belongings, too. Besides, the ladder climb to the surface could take ages. "I'll just leave it here," she said quietly, leaning the card against the base of the lamp, where he was sure to find it. Turning back in the direction of the ladder, she froze suddenly as the sound of whirring machinery met her ears. Closer and closer the noise came, almost as if a platform were lowering from the upper levels. _Of course!_ Poppy groaned to herself. _He wouldn't use a long stupid ladder to get around like that...he must have an elevator!_ The pit of her stomach felt cold as she looked up; her fears were confirmed as Branch descended into view, carrying a large bundle of sticks and various shrubbery under one arm.

He spotted the radiant pink figure as he came down, and sucked in a breath sharply. His grip on the bundle tightened - how had she even managed to get in? Her incessant attempts to convince him to join a party were bad enough, but now she was actually _stalking_ him? The audacity! He was going to give her a piece of his mind this time...

Their eyes met as the elevator glided to a halt at the bottom. Branch strode toward her grimly, lifting his arm just enough to drop his haul to the floor with a clatter. His seething blue eyes locked on her frozen form, prompting a nervous chuckle from Poppy. "Um...hi?" she squeaked.

"Poppy! What. The hell. _Do you think you're doing?"_ Through gritted teeth, his words held a bite she had never witnessed before, not even on his grumpiest of days. "I'm guessing you found my emergency hatch?"

She nodded immediately, her own magenta eyes huge with fright. This was a totally different Branch. Most of the time, he would just ignore her and leave. But she was in his domain now. And his glare was _threatening._

"I'm...I'm sorry!" she stammered.

He could sense the fear in her voice, and a tiny part of him wanted to rush forward and hug her, to reassure her that everything would be all right. But that would just be setting himself up for more of the same, especially if she tried to pull a stunt like this again. Steeling himself, he let out a harsh laugh. "Right... _sorry!"_ He spat the word out, as if it held little meaning. "Poppy, I don't know what you thought you were doing, but I can't have you just barging into my personal space whenever you feel like it! A Bergen might not be able to get you down here, but there are still a thousand ways to get hurt!"

Poppy swallowed nervously, unable to break away from his intense glare. Branch was blocking her path to both the elevator and the escape ladder. "Please let me leave!" she begged.

Something in the pleading tone of her voice set off a spark in Branch's brain. For once, _he_ had _her_ cornered, instead of the other way round. This was an opportunity he might never have again. "Not so fast, Princess!" he barked. "You can't just have royalty over and not throw them a _welcoming party!"_ A streak of black shot forward, and his hair lashed around her wrist. "Don't worry - I'm not going to harm you," he said, noticing her panicked expression. "But you leave when _I_ say you leave. _Got it?"_

Stunned, Poppy could only nod abruptly with wide eyes. The grip of Branch's hair around her wrist wasn't painfully tight, but it was firm enough that she couldn't just wiggle her way out. She stood rooted where she was as he slowly closed the distance between them. Dropping her gaze for only a moment, she glanced back up at him with a look of resignation, somehow trusting him to keep his word.

Branch reached out and took her free hand, leading it carefully over to meet the trapped one. He uncoiled his hair just enough to throw an extra loop around both wrists, binding them together above her head, never once breaking eye contact. Placing his own hands on either side of her waist, he marched her backwards toward the desk, lifting her to a sitting position on its broad surface. He took a moment to admire the perfect curves of her body, when his eyes fell on something small and pastel-striped propped against the lamp behind her. An envelope. _Ah,_ he thought. _The dreaded Rainbow Day invitation. Well, that can wait._ Reaching around, he took the envelope and placed it carefully on a stack of books near the desk. Now he could focus exclusively on his Princess.

Poppy watched him through a haze, barely daring to breathe. When he picked up the envelope, she wanted to plead with him not to destroy it like he always did, but something told her that would be foolish right now. She was genuinely surprised when he set it aside, turning his attention back to her. All at once, his hands were gliding slowly up her sides. Poppy shivered at the sensation, her eyes instinctively closing. She hadn't expected his touch to be so soft...or so warm. Considering what she'd done, he was being surprisingly gentle. It was a confusing feeling, but a delightful one.

"Turn around," Branch commanded. "I'm going to release your hands, but you _will not_ move without my permission." Helping her down, he retracted his hair and allowed her to turn so she was facing the wall. "Put your hands here," he instructed, guiding them to opposite sides of the desk. "Palms flat - don't move!" With one last pass of his hand across her torso, he turned to rummage through the bundle of foraged goods he had brought home. After a few minutes, he found what he was looking for - a thin birch rod. He examined it for a moment, running its length between his finger and thumb to test the thickness, then plied it in the air, listening attentively to the low-pitched whistle it emitted. _Perfect,_ he thought. He returned to the desk just in time to see Poppy turn her head, wondering what he was up to. With a disapproving grunt, he shook his head and rotated his index finger, signalling her to face the wall again. Poppy rolled her eyes slightly, but complied. Branch eased her down to rest the full weight of her upper body on the desk, then stepped back again.

The switch whistled rapidly through the air, meeting Poppy's behind with a sharp _CRACK!_ Her eyes shot wide open, and a startled cry emerged from her throat. Never in her life had she felt anything as painful as this. The burning sensation spread, only to be compounded by a second smack. Gripping the edges of the desk tightly, she arched herself up on her toes, desperately fighting the urge to grab her fiery cheeks.

Three more smacks, one right after the other. Branch was an expert marksman, and couldn't hold back a chuckle of satisfaction as he managed to hit the exact same spot all three times. By now Poppy's eyes were streaming with tears, her breath coming in and out shakily as she struggled not to cry aloud. "I thought you said you wouldn't hurt me!" she protested.

"No," said Branch, with a mild snarl, "I said I wouldn't _harm_ you. There's a _difference!"_ He brought the rod down yet again, and Poppy's wail could be heard throughout the bunker. Branch was impressed - he had expected much more of a fight from the obnoxiously bubbly girl; yet here she was, sprawled over his desk, _allowing_ him to switch her.

At the seventh strike, she no longer cried out, though her eyes were still tightly shut. Her grip on the stump's edge slackened, and her hips relaxed, if only a little. Branch watched her carefully, hoping she would hold out for at least a few more. It was not his intent to beat her senseless - there would be no lesson learned from that. As he raised his arm again, he paused briefly, sniffing the air. Her scent had changed. Her usual flowery sweetness now held an undertone of musky heat. _Son of a bitch!_ he thought. _She's getting turned on!_ The realization caused a stir in his own shorts, and he looked down uneasily at the growing bulge. _Shit...so am I!_

"B-Branch...please..." Poppy's voice was barely audible, and the words tumbled out of her mouth haltingly, but his ear was still able to catch them. "Again...please...Branch..."

Well, then. Who could possibly deny a request like that? With a new fervor, Branch obliged, bringing the switch down hard over her already swollen rump. This time, instead of squealing, Poppy let out a ragged moan, a sound which triggered another reaction in Branch's shorts. He would have to tread with caution if he was to finish this and maintain control. The ninth strike landed, causing another moan to escape Poppy's lips. Her head turned to the side, and she slowly opened her eyes. It shocked her that she really didn't want this to be over. The pain was still there, true, but it was now mixed with a bizarre feeling of pleasure. The area between her legs was suddenly registering in her brain as "damp". When had that happened? She wanted to reach down and give it a little rub, but was sure Branch wouldn't allow it. _I've made it this far,_ she thought, _I can hold out a little longer._

One final blow rained down, and Poppy slumped on the desk in a quivering mess. Branch tossed the switch aside and placed his hands gently on Poppy's back, massaging her with his fingertips. "It's over, Poppy," he whispered softly, "you can let go now."

"Oh, Branch!" Poppy whimpered. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have invaded your personal space. I really wasn't here to snoop around...I just thought you might keep my invitation if I delivered it here, instead of giving it to you out in the open with everyone watching. I won't do it again!"

"Poppy!" Branch chided, running his fingers through her hair soothingly. "I won't destroy this one, I promise." _It'll be nice to have_ one _in my collection that's mint condition_ , he thought to himself, casting a knowing glance at the curtain behind the desk. "I think you've learned your lesson...come on." Lifting her gently off the desk, he led her to a room stocked with first-aid supplies. "Here," he said, producing a thick leaf, "rub some aloe into it so it doesn't leave a mark. I'd hate to see you left with scars from this."

"Thank you." Poppy accepted the leaf, splitting it in two to release the cool healing gel inside. Raising her skirt, she reached down to apply the salve to her sensitive buttocks. Looking over to Branch, who had moved to the other side of the desk, she noticed that the glint of anger had faded from his eyes, leaving a soft glow of compassion in its place. She also caught him shifting a little, as if attempting to adjust some unseen discomfort. The penny dropped, and she realized why he'd moved where he had.

Branch noticed her eyes light up with the realization, and shook his head vigorously. "Poppy, I'm fine!" he insisted. "You don't have to do anything else...right now, I just want to make sure you're okay."

She smiled at that. With one last application of the aloe leaf, she began walking toward him slowly. "I'm better than okay," she purred, "but I'm not done thanking you."

Branch's mind raced a thousand different directions at once, as Poppy placed a hand on his belly, dropping to her knees. Two fingers trailed slowly down his front, and he stiffened from his hair to his toes. Then, everything went fuzzy as she leaned her head in close to his lower regions, brushing her lips in an agonizing feather-touch against the twitching bulge. A deep, primal moan sounded throughout the bunker, and he placed both of his hands on her head to steady himself. He wasn't about to stop her at this point – instinct had kicked in for both of them ages ago.

Poppy's fingers now worked at the waistline of his shorts, tugging gently downward to reveal the prize within. It was a darker shade of grey than the rest of him, and pulsing as though it possessed a life force of its own. She admired it for a few seconds before wrapping her tongue around the head, pulling it eagerly into her mouth. Branch gasped at the sensation, his hands digging into her hair as if holding on for dear life. Her tongue felt like velvet against his engorged member, and he barely remembered to breathe. Her lips worked carefully up and down the shaft, relishing its flavor. The moisture between her own legs was beginning to pool and drip beneath her, and once again Branch caught the tantalizing scent. He let her stay there for another minute, fighting the urge to release everything he had right then and there. Letting go of Poppy's hair for a moment, he shucked off his vest and tapped her nose to get her attention. She looked up at him curiously, and he marveled at how stunningly beautiful she was at this particular moment, with her magenta eyes shining like stars. In one swift motion, Branch had his hands on her waist again, tugging her dress upwards. He hated pulling out of her mouth, but it was the only way to lift the yellow garment over her head. Tossing it next to his vest, he stepped all the way out of his shorts and dropped to the ground, positioning himself on his back. After his earlier assault on her rear, he wasn't about to subject her to the cold, hard floor of the bunker.

"Come on top of me," he beckoned, reaching his hands out to guide her down. Poppy began to do so, but Branch shook his head. "The other way, Poppy…right here." Knowing she was still a little unsteady herself, he guided her into position so that her moist flower was directly above his nose, while his thick root stood at the ready to be received once again between her waiting lips. As her mouth received the head of his shaft once more, his tongue reached up to plunge into her most sensitive area. A muffled squeal broke from Poppy's lips, and her entire body jolted upwards. Branch grabbed her hips and pulled her back down, dragging the tip of his tongue slowly back and forth along her slit, not wanting to waste a single drop of her sweet nectar. Poppy shuddered and moaned wildly; her rump was still sore, but somehow Branch's hands kneading into it felt perfect. Putting her mind back to the task directly in front of her, she began to suck him a little deeper into her mouth. Branch growled, burying his face in the warmth of her nethers. If someone had told him at the start of the day that he would be sixty-nining with the Princess, he'd have rolled his eyes and scoffed. But it was happening. And it was incredible. _She_ was incredible! Finding her sweet little button, he drew it between his teeth and bit down lightly, bringing one hand up to probe at her opening. Poppy almost completely lost her bearings with that, allowing his member to slide all the way into the back of her throat. Pushing a little deeper, he sensed the clenching of her inner muscles above him, and knew she was close. Increasing the pressure of his teeth, he gave her reddened cheeks a vicious squeeze. That was enough to send her right over the edge. Still moaning around his length, her hips shook violently as a cascade of sweet, honey-like fluid escaped her, flowing freely into and around Branch's mouth. Her tongue was having a similar effect on him, causing him to thrust even deeper, eventually sending a thick, sticky blast down her throat. They rode that delightful wave for a full minute, before Poppy's limbs finally gave out, and she collapsed in a soggy pink heap on top of Branch.

Running a hand lovingly over her back, he somehow maneuvered himself so that she was still resting on top of him, but they were now face to face. Her eyes opened slightly…the pupils were heavily dilated, but still shining bright as ever. She was exhausted, and Branch knew there was no way he could put her back outside in this state. Ever so gently, he rose to a standing position, lifting her as he went. All he had was a hammock, but after everything Poppy had just been through, he was sure she'd be fine with that. He carried her to his sleeping area, treading quietly so as not to disturb her. She was already asleep by the time he placed her in the hammock, so after one last fond brushing of his fingers through her hair, he returned to his desk to inspect her latest offering. The glittery pastel rainbow on the front of the card unfolded to reveal a sky lit with rainbow comet trails. Branch smiled to himself - and although Poppy wasn't there to see it, for a brief moment, his body flashed its natural teal hue. Tucking the card carefully back into its envelope, he placed it on the shelf with the rest of his collection.


End file.
